Okay, this is getting almost comical!

Despite my plans for other great accomplishments today (like, say, working) I spent pretty much all day today having work done to my much-storied car (here, here, here & here). Basically, today I spent over $200 that I don't have on various repairs/maintenance to it and probably should have spent at least another $200-300 more! I mean, seriously, if this keeps up, I'm going to have to create a blog label just for my car!

I started out by calling the one place in the yellow pages that said they repaired rims (well technically, there are two, but it turns out one is actually located in Greenville, 100 miles away, but for some reason decides to advertise in our book). I was really excited when the guy told me they could probably repair it in a little over an hour or so (not a day or more, as previously feared and as the place in Greenville seems to take), and that he could do it for probably $115 or so, considerably less than I feared. Before actually going to see him, though, I decided to go back to the Tire Kingdom I originally went to on Saturday to have them look at the remaining slow leak and rotate my tires. When I got to the Kingdom, they had a long wait (I did accidentally wait until lunch time to get there, oops!) so I just made an appointment for later that afternoon and went to the rim shop. I walked in and told the guy what I needed and he said "Oh, did you call me earlier today? Yeah, we'll take care of it for you." I dropped the tire off and now had an hour or two to kill before I had to be back. Inspired by my outpouring of cash into the car and in preparation of my upcoming Thanksgiving travels, I decided I may as well get the long over due oil change I needed.

I ran up the road to the place I always go and handed her the keys. I also asked about getting a transmission fluid change, since I have known for a long time I need that done, but decided without a coupon and in light of all the money I was spending on everything else that day, that I should chance it for a little bit longer. The repair guy also told me I should have my fuel injection system cleaned every 12-15 months or so. I normally don't 100% believe repair people when they tell me what I "should" do (not that I would know better than they would, I just like to think that I do), but since I've never had it done, I did entertain the thought. I ruled it as out of the budget too.

When they finished, I did swing by the office for a bit to get together some stuff for my boss and find something to do that wouldn't cost me money while I waited for the rim. Finally, I head back up to the rim place and pick up my tire. They mount it for me and end up only charging me $100 total, parts & labor, for the work. Awesome! After I left there, I realized I should've just had them look at the leak in my other tire and rotate them, since they did seem to do tire work, but I didn't realize that before, thinking they primarily just sold custom rims. Oh well. Once the wheel was mounted, it left me just enough time to run back up to the Kingdom for my afternoon appointment. The guy pulled the car in and lifted it up, then did what every car owner dreads when work is being done...comes in to speak to the customer!

I walk into the garage with him and he tells me 3 things...first, there's a lug nut on the back wheel which is stuck on there and he's afraid he'll destroy the stud if he removes it. (You may remember, this is hardly the first time I've had lugs over torqued and destroy wheel studs...in fact, if I count right, this is at least the 7th stud to suffer such a fate. Why do people have it out for my wheel studs?) I told him to go ahead, even if it meant stripping it and replacing the stud, (which would add about $30-40 to my bill) basically under the 3-fold logic of

1. I really do need my tires rotated regardless,
2. Heaven forbid the tire should go flat and I would be left on the side of the road trying to man handle that thing, and
3. I'm already dumping money out, so why not!?

The second thing he pointed out was that my belts were old and worn and beginning to crack...a fact which I had already been told, but since it would add at least $175 to my bill, I declined for today.

The third thing he told me(and here's where it gets comical, folks) is this:

"Have you had someone look at your CV boot (or some other part he was pointing to that I had no idea what he was talking about)? You see, it's leaking here and it is basically dripping all the oil right out of it and slinging it away. You can see it here...(still pointing)"

At this point, I just start laughing, because while I didn't understand exactly what he was saying, I knew enough and, seeing where he was pointing, realized that this is the exact same part the dealership replaced not 3 weeks ago!!! Yeah...that $1100 repair they did, guess it didn't work! I told him not to worry about that and assured him I'd take it to the dealership. Oh, they did find a nail in that tire with the slow leak, in case you were curious...maybe I should have had it looked at some point earlier over the 6 or 9 months it's been slowly leaking...oops! :)

Once they finished up all they were doing and I paid another $75 or so, I was deciding how to set up an appointment with the dealership to have them re-repair my CV joint (or whatever). I was going to call, but I didn't have their number and I had to drive right by there anyway, so decided to just stop in and make one in person for next Monday when I get back. I told the guy at the dealership what the man at the Kingdom said and admitted that it was still making a strange noise, but, since it was considerably quieter than the noise it was making before, I had sorta relegated to just being the noise my car was going to keep making...at least until I got sick of it wanted to brave the dealership again. At first the guy was content to just make an appointment, but when I told him what was wrong, he got all concerned that I was going to driving through the mountains with this potential problem and wanted to have it looked at immediately. This was fine with me and actually, I just didn't suggest it b/c it was already 4:30 when I got there and didn't want anyone to have to stay late.

I then headed back toward the waiting room where I've grown so accustomed to staying and ran into several other of the employees I've come to know around there (yeah...clearly I spend to much time there!). I chatted a bit and then went back to reading the book I'd been working on all afternoon. Half an hour later, the service guy tells me that they looked at it and they're going to have to order the same part again and install a second new one to try to fix the problem. He did assure me that I would be fine driving on it (a concern I did not have until he raised it) and I'm supposed to hear from them when the parts come in. Oh, then I put $40-something worth of gas in it and was done on the car for the day.

After spending all this time at the dealership, I'm beginning to notice a trend. A very unpleasant trend, but a trend nonetheless. Any guesses?

Yeah...it seems they like to do all of their work multiple times! Let's recap again...

• this piece was replaced three weeks ago and will now be replaced again in a week; my air conditioner was "fixed" once in June and then surprisingly broke again a month later,
  
• the motor on one of my power windows needs adjustment almost annually, and
  
• my radio has been replaced not once, not twice, but three separate times!
  

I guess the logic is practice makes perfect?? This would be much less unsettling if they just gave me a loaner car every time, instead of making me coordinate rides or listen to daytime soaps on their TV in the waiting room while trying to read. I guess I can't do anything but laugh about it!!

Oh well, at least an old friend was rolling through town so she stopped to hang out. She introduced me to Raspberry Martinis and Bang Bang Shrimp at Bonefish Grill! Not a bad way to end the night!